Good news for Bayern: Ito back in team training | OneFootball

Good news for FC Bayern ahead of the Bundesliga top match against Bayer Leverkusen: defender Hiroki Ito is back in team training.

The Japanese player took part in parts of team training on Säbener Straße on Friday for the first time—an important signal after months full of setbacks.

However, the 26-year-old is not yet an option for the match on Saturday evening (6:30 p.m., live on Sky). Coach Vincent Kompany does not want to take any risks and plans to ease the defensive player back in carefully. Nevertheless, Ito’s return is seen as a clear sign that he could play a role in the Bayern squad again in the coming weeks.

Since his transfer from VfB Stuttgart in the summer of 2024, Ito has had terrible luck with injuries. Right after his arrival, the defender suffered a metatarsal fracture in his right foot and had to undergo surgery. After months of rehab, a return seemed within reach—until the next setback at the end of March: another fracture in the same foot.

A second operation was necessary, and the healing process stretched over the entire summer. During this time, Ito missed not only pre-season but also the start of the season under coach Kompany. So far, he has only made eight competitive appearances for the German record champions.

Hope for a Comeback Soon

Now, however, his recovery is finally showing progress. The center-back trained with the ball again on Friday and was able to complete several drills with the team. If the increase in workload over the next few days goes without any reaction, Ito could soon be able to fully rejoin team training.

Photo: IMAGO

At FC Bayern, the Japanese player’s return is being met with great relief. The Leverkusen match comes a bit too soon, but a comeback in November seems realistic.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.